The field of the invention is brakes for roller skates and more particularly for roller skates of the type referred to as inline skates. Numerous devices have been tried for assisting in the braking of inline skates. The most common brake is a pad which rubs against the skating surface when the skater tips his skate rearwardly. A brake of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,718. Since the braking effect is very dependent upon the skating surface, such brakes are not completely reliable. Furthermore, some skating surfaces are very abrasive and the brakes can quickly wear.
Applicant has devised a toe activated brake which is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,346. This brake utilizes the downward and rearward movement of the toe to activate a brake which rubs against the wheel.
The Zorzi, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,469 shows a braking device activated by a quarter which is pivotally attached to the shoe. As the quarter rotates rearwardly a cable is activated which in FIGS. 1 and 2 tilts a block into contact with the skating surface. In FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6 the cable activates the movement of a braking pad 332 against the hub, and in FIGS. 7 through 12 the quarter may be moved either rearwardly or forwardly to cause a braking element to rub against the tire portion of the wheel.
A pair of disks rub against the rear two wheels of an inline roller skate in U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,104. This rubbing results when the skater displaces his or her weight backwards.
None of these braking systems has found wide application and an improved brake design is needed.